Tortellini Chili

Has anyone else seen that Facebook photo/joke that shows a snowy yard with snow-covered trees and the caption says something about not dyeing the Easter eggs and just saying “good luck!” to the kids? I laughed, like, really hard at that one.

The talk around the Great Lakes is that our long-awaited beach time during the summer may never come to fruition. Lake Michigan is still very frozen and it’s um, almost April. No bueno. And let’s be honest, I want to talk about something other than the weather. It’s….time.

At least artichokes are 3 for $2? I know, a steal! (Not really, but kind of. For artichokes.)

The asparagus is delicious. And $1.99/lb. The stalks aren’t bamboo-like, but instead tender and…crying out for my grill.

Lily sees the sun, begs to go out, and moments later, is begging to come in. This goes on constantly. The sun is teasing the dog to the point I feel downright terrible for her. And there is no exaggeration in the following: I think we need to get her screened for diabetes. Between fatigue, increased thirst, and frequent potty breaks…I think being sedentary since October is finally affecting her health. (LORD, let’s hope I’m wrong.)

For now, one foot in front of the next. One day closer to a potentially warmer month. One day closer to flip flops, sundresses, and vitamin D. People, I GLOW. Quite literally, I am illuminated in paleness. *sigh*

To ease us from one day to the next, comfort food can only help. This dish is chili meets soup meets pasta. It’s the best of all worlds that comes together in 30 minutes or less, reheats superbly, and comes in right at 450 calories for a piping hot bowl of goodness. It’s not 80 degree weather. Or 70, or 60, or 50…not even 45, but hey, it’s good. And perfect to be enjoyed as we will warmer weather our way.

No need to choose a hearty chili or a comforting pasta...have BOTH! 🙂 This works oh so well!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1½ Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 lb 96% lean ground beef

4 cups low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp oregano

9 oz fresh spinach and cheese tortellini

¼ tsp cayenne, more or less to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 6-8 minutes. If needed, drain any excess grease.

To the pot, add the broth, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano, bringing to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tortellini and cool until tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately with toppings of choice.

Definitely get Miss Lily checked out! Whatley’s health has improved so much since he was diagnosed and we got his diabetes under control! He hates his morning shot, but he has come to accept it. We don’t do home glucose testing yet, though. 🙂

I wanted to tell you I used this recipe, but substituted some stew meat (trying to work through the beef in our freezer) instead of ground beef. It was so great! I ended up letting it simmer for a few hours & my husband loved it, too! Thanks for the great recipes. I really enjoy reading your blog.